Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, at Ebenezer Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kandiyohi. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. on Friday, May 3, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Ebenezer Lutheran Church or Rice Hospice. www.petersonbrothers.com

Allan LeRoy Backlund was born in Litchfield, Minnesota, on February 12, 1930, the son of Roy V. S. and Isabelle R. (Rierson) Backlund. He grew up in the Kandiyohi community, was baptized and confirmed at Ebenezer Evangelical Lutheran Church, attended Whittier Grade School in Kandiyohi. He played football and baseball for Willmar and graduated from Willmar High School in 1948. On , 1948, Allan was united in marriage to Iris Claire Nelson. They lived and farmed near Kandiyohi for over 50 years. Allan was the official scorer for 13 years for the Willmar High School Basketball team and down box official for 26 years for the Willmar High School Football team. After retiring from farming, Allan raised and raced harness horses throughout Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In 2004, Allan was inducted into the Willmar High School Hall of Fame and in 2008, into the Minnesota Harness Racing Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his loving wife of over 65 years, Iris of Kandiyohi; four children, John (and Mary) Backlund of Brainerd, Janice Backlund of Kandiyohi, Laurie (and John) Lynch of Cape Coral, FL., and Joel Backlund of Alburquerque, NM; three grandchildren, Justin (and Sue) Backlund of San Diego, CA., David (and Tino) Berhanu of Atlanta, GA., and Elizabeth (and Mike) Kings of Germany and five great grandchildren, Jackson Backlund, Sona and Mako Berhanu, Claire and Chloe Kings. Also surviving is one sister, Emily Cole of Decorah, IA., and a brother-in-law, C. Howard Peterson of Willmar, besides other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, David Roy Backlund; one sister, Anna Mae Peterson and a brother-in-law, Austin P. Cole.